We had been talking about going to Andorra every time a conversation about places to visit would come up. But it was awful timing when we finally did. It’s not bad to go on a road trip in the winter. I actually like the view of the snow from a moving car. It was the heavy traffic that made the trip unpleasant.
Andorra is situated in the eastern Pyrenees, the mountain range between France and Spain. It is a microstate on the Iberian Peninsula, bordered by France to the north and east and Spain to the south and west. It is believed to be the sixth smallest state in Europe.
We were on our way to Spain at the time, but we decided to deviate from our usual route. Instead, we took the road to Andorra from France to get to Spain. What amazing view we had! We drove between the snow-capped Pyrenees, and it felt like we were heading to the top of the mountains. What we did not expect was the traffic-jammed roads, and some cars skidded because of the snow. Others were putting on snow chains on the tyres to the last minute.
I looked behind, and I could see the slithering roads we passed through. If only we could stop somewhere to take some pictures while snow-capped mountains surrounded us, but we could not find a spot to make a quick stop. It was too scary even to try to go off the car while the traffic was standing still.
The traffic was heavy on the way to Spain, but to France, the traffic was sparse. We figured many were seeking for warmer place amid the winter. When we passed the border, and when we headed towards Andorra la Vella, the capital city of Andorra, we were surprised to see the difference in the weather.
Here’s what the other side of Andorra looked like. It’s close to Spain, but it felt like we’re in Spain already because the signs on the streets were in Catalan, which is spoken by the people in Catalonia, Valencia, and the Balearic Isles; all of which belong to Spain. We found a place to rest from driving, but it was near a roundabout, so we did not stay long.
Have you been to Andorra? Perhaps you can share your experiences with your stay there. It would be great if we could get a chance to see more of Andorra in our future travel, but probably not in the winter.
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